Q&A with David Steele

Baltimoresun.com Staff

Robyn, Joppa: Do you think there is any chance the Wizards will retain Juan Dixon and Steve Blake?

David Steele: It won't be easy, because there will be demand for both of them, andthere will be teams with more money to spend on them that could conceivableprice the Wizards right out of the market for them. They're not going toput any current player ahead of Larry Hughes on their free-agent prioritylist.

Dixon has the track record that could attract a suitor looking for a roleplayer who can be explosive off the bench, the way he was this past year.Blake, however, is very intriguing to a lot of teams who think he could bethe kind of true pass-first point guard most NBA teams lack. There was buzzabout him throughout the playoffs, with observers wondering why EddieJordan didn't play him more often, or longer when he did play. Teams figurehe can learn how to shoot and defend better, but he already has that innateplaymaking ability. Too bad, because the Wizards can't afford to lose whatbackcourt depth they have; Hughes and Gilbert Arenas can't go 40-45 minutesa night again next season.

Chris, Baltimore: Have the Yankees finally screwed up enough that they won't make the playoffs, or were the early indications only a fluke? Is the opposite true for the Orioles?

David Steele: The good news is, the Orioles' start wasn't a fluke. The bad news,it looks like the Yankees' start was. You should be very worried that Jason
Giambi, who looked as if he already had retired up until a week ago,suddenly is hitting again. And that Tino Martinez, of all people, found hisstroke. And that Ruben Sierra is coming off the DL. Next thing you know,Bernie Williams will come out of his coma and start hitting again. It's oneof those Yankee things that's annoying every year. When there's that muchtalent around, it can only flop so much.

OK, good news time. The Yankees still have major pitching problems, andthat doesn't look as if it will get better (unless they make some kind ofmove, which they always can do, just to get on everyone's nerves). TheOrioles, though, look deep enough in the rotation and the bullpen, and youhave to figure they're positioning themselves to make a move by the end ofJune to beat the Yankees to the punch and get one more starter if they needone. You'd figure that, at least. They haven't been in this positionlately, so you hope they remember what to do when the time comes.

Some have said this will eventually evolve into a two-team race: O's andRed Sox. Some think it'll be four teams, including the Blue Jays (!). Splitthe difference and figure on the O's, Sox and Yankees going into Septemberwith a chance. It was fun counting the Yankees out for a while, but I thinkfun-time is over.

Ron, Clatsankie, Ore.: How did Derek Anderson perfom during the Ravens rookie camp? I've watched him play in both high school and college and am curious about his chances of sticking in the NFL. He is an excellent role model when he goes back to visit his old high school, so we hope he makes the Ravens roster.

David Steele: Derek will appreciate having his fans follow him from back home.There's not a lot to report on what Anderson's done so far. He didn't doanything to disappoint anyone in rookie camp, but it's almost impossible tomake judgments based on those anyway, even on the marquee draft picks. Hewas not allowed to participate in the passing camp that went on last weekand resumes this week; an NFL rule bars rookies from full team camps untiltheir class officially graduates.

How he arrives at next month's minicamp and then training camp will tellmore of the story. He has a real chance to get the No. 3 quarterback job,but so does free agent Darian Durant. Derek would have to impress quicklyto make an impact and give himself an edge. You can say this, though: it'srare for an NFL team to carry three quarterbacks as young as the three theRavens will carry (if either Anderson or Durant pan out), so it tells youthey consider Kyle Boller a veteran, and expect him to play that way. Therewon't be a grizzled veteran safety net this year; Anthony Wright is thegraybeard at 29, and he's started 12 career games.